With so many big-name players on the roster and a former Mr. Irrelevant at quarterback playing for less than $1 million a year, there was always going to be a time when the San Francisco 49ers would be forced to make some difficult decisions.
One of those big names facing an uncertain future is wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who has seen his name pop up in trade rumors left and right this offseason as he heads into a contract year.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan conveniently ran into his star receiver last week and expressed plenty of optimism that a long-term contract could get done, as he told Nick Wagoner of ESPN on the importance of pairing him with Purdy for the long haul, “it’s hard to be a successful quarterback if you don’t have real good receivers and so it starts there with Brandon.”
Shanahan on Aiyuk and importance of having him to pair with Brock Purdy long term:
"It's huge. I mean it's hard to be a successful quarterback if you don't have real good receivers and so it starts there with Brandon and I think it's real big for Brock and his future, making… https://t.co/MfPx0TOaFx
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) March 26, 2024
It’s encouraging Shanahan is getting out ahead of this and standing up for his player, as trade rumors are always difficult to deal with but are much more manageable when you know your team has your back.
Aiyuk blossomed into Purdy’s most reliable target last season, posting a career-high 1,342 yards on 75 receptions with seven touchdowns, all while seeing just 105 targets.
San Francisco has four huge weapons on offense in Aiyuk, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, and Deebo Samuel.
It’s great to hear Shanahan throw a blanket onto the trade rumor fire.
We’ll see if they can get a contract extension done before Aiyuk hits free agency.
NEXT: Analyst Makes Bold Prediction About Brandon Aiyuk's Future